SELDEN (John), called by Grotius the glory of England, was born at Salvington in Sussex in 1584. He was educated at the free-school at Chichester; whence he was sent to Hart-Hall in the university of Oxford, where he staid four years. In 1612, he entered himself in Clifford's Inn, in order to study the law; and about two years after removed to the Inner Temple, where he soon acquired great reputation by his learning. He had already published several of his works; and this year wrote verses in Latin, Greek, and English, upon Mr William Browne's Britannia's Pastorals. In 1614, he published his Titles of Honour; and in 1616, his Notes on Sir John Fortescue's book De Laudibus Legum Anglie. In 1618, he published his History of Tythes; which gave great offence to the clergy, and was animadverted upon by several writers; and for that book he was called before the high-commission court, and obliged to make a public acknowledgment of his sorrow for having published it. In 1621, being sent for by the parliament, though he was not then a member of that house, and giving his opinion very strongly in favour of their privileges in opposition to the court, he was committed to the custody of the sheriff of London; but was set at liberty after five weeks confinement. In 1623, he was chosen burgess for Lancaster; but, amidst all the divisions of the nation, kept himself neuter, prosecuting his studies with such application, that though he was the next year chosen reader of Lyon's Inn, he refused to perform that office. In 1625, he was chosen burgess for Great Bedwin in Wiltshire, to serve in the first parliament of king Charles I. in which he declared himself warmly against the duke of Buckingham; and on his Grace's being impeached by the House of Commons, was appointed one of the managers of the articles against him. In 1627 and 1628, he opposed the court-party with great vigour. The parliament being prorogued to January 20. 1629, Mr Selden retired to the earl of Kent's house at Wret, in Bedfordshire, where he finished his Marmora Arundeliana. The parliament being met, he, among others, again distinguished himself by his zeal against the court; when the king dissolving the parliament, ordered several of the members to be brought before the King's-Bench bar, and committed to the Tower. Among these was Mr Selden, who insisting on the benefit of the laws, and refusing to make his submission, was removed to the King's Bench prison. Being here in danger of his life on account of the plague then raging in Southwark, he petitioned the lord high treasurer, at the end of Trinity-term, to intercede with his Majesty that he might be removed to the Gate-House, Westminster,
minister; which was granted: but in Michaelmas term following, the judges objecting to the lord treasurer's warrant, by which he had been removed to the Gate-House, an order was made for conveying him back to the King's Bench, whence he was released in the latter end of the same year; but fifteen years after, the parliament ordered him 5000l. for the losses he had sustained on this occasion. He was afterwards committed with several other gentlemen for dispersing a libel; but the author, who was abroad, being discovered, they were at length set at liberty. In 1634, a dispute arising between the English and Dutch concerning the herring-fishery on the British coast, he was prevailed upon by archbishop Laud to draw up his Mare Clausum, in answer to Grotius's Mare Liberum; which greatly recommended him to the favour of the court. In 1640, he was chosen member for the university of Oxford; when he again opposed the court, though he might, by complying, have raised himself to very considerable posts. In 1643, he was appointed one of the lay-members to sit in the assembly of divines at Westminster, and was the same year appointed keeper of the records in the Tower. In 1645, he was made one of the commissioners of the admiralty. The same year he was unanimously elected master of Trinity-college, Cambridge; but declined accepting. He died in 1654; and was interred in the Temple-church, where a monument is erected to his memory.—Dr Wilkes observes, that he was a man of uncommon gravity and greatness of soul, averse to flattery, liberal to scholars, charitable to the poor; and though he had great latitude in his principles with regard to ecclesiastical power, yet he had a sincere regard for the church of England. He wrote many learned works besides those already mentioned; the principal of which are, 1. De Jure Naturali & Gentium juxta Disciplinam Hebraeorum. 2. De Nuptiis & Divorciis. 3. De Anno Civili veterum Hebraeorum. 4. De Nummis. 5. De Diis Syris. 6. Uxor Hebraica. 7. Jani Anglorum Facies altera, &c. All his works were printed together in 1726, in 3 vols folio.